Bluesbreaker clone, $250 good deal?

[Baltar]

http://barrie.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-sell-musical-instruments-amps-pedals-Handwired-Tube-Amp-W0QQAdIdZ285591456

$250 looks pretty killer.

[inductorguitars]

Uh yea. Probably cost him more to build. (And that's Canadian Dollars not sure the exchange rate - it's pretty even latley)

[Chovie D]

bad deal

I have built and own a wonderful Marshall 18 watt clone (bluesbreaker was the combo version).

1. For me the signature sound of a Marshall 18 watt comes from overdriven EL84's. This doofus used 6V6. 
2. Hes got a 'preamp' gain knob...the original design just has volume. For me, fucking with the design of a classic coveted vintage amp just ruins it. why not add digital effects too? 
3. Mine sounds a million times better than  this assclowns, and his guitar is not even in tune. If your gonna make a vid, tune first please.

[Hemisaurus]

Depends what you want from it. If you can't solder, and are a complete purist like Chovie, it's not what you want.

If you can solder, and are a complete purist like Chovie, a 9 pin socket for an EL-84 is $1.25, and whatever other mods you may want to undo, on the other hand, just the transformers (bundle from Magnetic Components in Chicago) for an 18W Marshall is $104, a complete kit from Weber is $390 for a head or $520 for a combo, so it's not such a bad deal.

If you're not a purist, take it on it's own merits. Could be a nice little amp, or the guy could be a god-awful builder and it's just ready to fall apart (haven't checked any pictures there may be). For $250 there are some used tube combos you could find Crates, Peavey, Bugera, but they'll be harder to mod.

[Chovie D]

I never thought of myself as a "purist" but perhaps I am..?

My deal is this: if your gonna take a classic amp design and try to recreate it, i think you should stick as closely to the original circuit as possible. That means not adding a two speed switchable tremolo or a gain knob or using a different power tube for gods sake. Once you do any of those things you are no longer building a replica or clone of the original are you? you are now building something else.  some mods are okay yes, three prong power chord, no death cap, etc you can stray from the original  slightly and perserve the integrity of the circuit. but Once you start putting 6v6s in a marhsall tho you are basically building a modified fender 59 bassman. thats great but its not an 18 watt. Its a  bassman. to me a bassman and an 18 watt sound different and I LIKE those differences in tonality. two differnt sounds, both fantastic, but different.

I guess when I build or buy an 18 watt Marshall clone. I want it to sound like an 18 watt Marshall.

When i build or buy a tweed deluxe, i want it to sound like a tweed deluxe not a marhsall.

I also just did not think that amp sounded particularly great in the vid. hard to get past the way the out of tune guitar tho.

[LogicalFrank]

I am w/ Chovie on this. I don't think it's a bad amp necessarily but why sell it as a clone when it is obviously not a clone? That being said, it doesn't seem to be a bad deal to me.

[Hemisaurus]

If you look at the ad, like I finally did  , it looks like a PA conversion, so I think claiming it's a clone is maybe a bit much, better would have been.

I have this Grommet PA, that I have converted to a guitar amp, basing the pre on the Marshall Bluesbreaker <insert rest of ad here>

It's got a nice looking set of trannies (check out those trannies) if you can't build something yourself it's a cool little, fairly unique amp. What else can you buy used in the $250 range, and would you like it better?

You can buy little 5-6W amps new from Vox, Kustom, Jet City, Epi and Blackheart, in fact the Kustom is only $99, you can get a new Jet City 20W for $250 with twin EL84's, from MF, maybe that's a better deal for you?

[Baltar]

http://pearsonamplification.com/index.html

He seems pretty legit, I'm not a purist by any stretch.  I'm gonna blast it with my fuzz pedals anyway.  But he lives in town and I'm just looking to push a 4x10 cab.

[Baltar]

I'm heading over to his house in like 40 mins.  I'll post again with a full report.

[Chovie D]

keep in mind that  it may sound very different thru a 4x10 than thru a single low wattage 10

[Baltar]

You were right, it did.  Wasn't loud enough.  Cool for what it was, it did sound a lot like the other 18 Watters I played.

[Chovie D]

My 18 watt is very loud thru a 2x12.
The guys that are really into these amps like a single speaker like in the original bluesbreaker cabs. i think they go for greenbacks, something low wattage.

The purpose of this amp for me, where it sounds best , is cranked with its natural overdrive singing. unlike my other higher wattage amps, i dont wanna put a pedal in front of it. Its all about the sound of the cranked amp and at 18 watts cranked...its pretty loud thru that 2x12. i wish it were quieter I would play it much mre than i do.
It is an amazing sounding amp. Theres a Dr. Z marshallish 18 wattish combo that is pretty great, but way expensive.

Sounds like you might need a 40-50 watter tho?
Blackface bassman?
another one i like alot is the guild thunderbass, they are still cheap i think.

[Baltar]

Thanks bro, yeah I really need a YBA or YVM.  45 Traynor Watts would do it.  They practically grow on trees here in Ontario.

[Chovie D]

nice! those are supposed to be very "Marshally". good luck in your search!

[inductorguitars]

Whoops I should of looked a bit closer at the add. I blame lack of caffeine.